"Adah, my dearest daughter. I can see your sadness and I understand it." Said Adah's father, the King. "But this war against the Roman Empire must be fought. King Leon, your betrothed, is leading the troops. You cannot be married until the war in won! My child, I am old or else I would be fighting myself. Let Leon fight and then join our kingdoms as one."

"But, Papa..." Adah pleaded. "I'll soon be 20 winters old! All the girls my age have little ones of their own already. I can't be expected to wait forever until I dry inside!" Adah stormed out of her father's throne room, her four big,chocolate brown dogs followed her. She wanted to be married and get a new life soon. She was tired of the Palace life and marrying King Leon would be her way out. King Leon was a handsome man, known to be a good lover. He had his harem, of course, but Adah was the one chosen to be his Queen. All Adah knew about Leon was the stories and descriptions she had heard from other maidens and from tradesmen. The man who brought her the finest linen from Egypt told her he was tall and broad shouldered, had dark hair and dark eyes but that had sounded like a generic description of any warrior from this part of the world.

Nearing her room's door, Adah gave the dog's leash to one of her servants. The servant was to brush and feed the dogs, as well as take them to wherever it was that they slept. Adah was too nervous to think clearly and when she was this nervous, there was only one way of relieving her tension.

She went in her majestically decorated room. Light shades of pink from the drapes to the carpets filled the room. Pillows in every size were scattered all around the floor. She sat at her dressing table, brushing her long blond hair. It was no secret she had the Eunuchs of her father's harem come to her room to please her and tonight she would fetch one of them for her pleasure.

Adah took all her clothes off and put on a transparent dress of the finest silk. It was the color of the sky on an early Summer morning. Her body could be seen through it, every curve, every inch of skin. Five gold bracelets adorned her left wrist, a heavy necklace adorned her neck. Barefoot, she stepped out of her room, making her way to the harem. She was very much aware of the guards looks and swayed her hips a little more than what was normal for her.

Making her way back with an eunuch by the hand, she didn't fail to notice a particular guard. She had never seen him and yet he was wearing the black robes and wide metal belt characteristic for the Palace's guards. She smiled at him, thinking that he was the most good looking of the guards.

She entered her room, sat on her bed and spread her legs. The eunuch was going to lick her most private part until she felt an explosion of pleasure and relief.
______________

The next morning, Adah got up and dressed for the day with the aid of her three maids. A light mint green long dress, with a slit that showed more than half of her thigh and with enough cleavage to show she was a definitely a woman and not a girl would be good for the day. Silver jewelry completed the look. As she left her room for her morning walk in the garden, she saw the new guard again.

“It’s the only way you can move up in this world I want you to have better than I did…” Those had been some of his father’s words spoken on his deathbed as he pleaded with his son to go serve King Ezra. Reluctant to disobey his father’s last request and not relishing the idea of being a farmer or mercenary anyway, Oren had gone to the palace and asked to be a guard. He had trained as a palace guard for over 2 years and was good at long range patrols, and had never seen the royal family save when the king had approved his application to serve.
All that changed when he found himself reassigned to the princess’s personal guard. Gone were his times in the wooded grounds patrolling, where more often than not the palace’s historian, an elderly fellow who happened to be Greek would stop him to listen to his long windy history lessons. All the other guards had to have to listen to the old man, but Oren had always enjoyed learning about the land of his mother. His mother had been Greek, something many people didn’t know about him, and he found the tales of the Greek generals and heroes, their gods and goddesses fascinating. He would now have to walk around guarding some spoiled rich girl. He mentally chastised himself for such thoughts about his lord’s daughter. All the guards told interesting stories about her, and the number one rule he had been told about guarding her was you didn’t see anything. He didn’t know what this meant until that first night. He watched the princess walk out of her room in a completely see through gown. He had to proverbially put his eyeballs back into his head. He hadn’t expected her to be that… revealed. Remembering the rule he snapped his eyes away figuring this meant he shouldn’t stare at her, of course, you didn’t see anything made perfect sense, right? You didn’t see the princess’s breasts so carry on with your duty. But no this wasn’t it at all; the real meaning of the rule came into play a few moments later as she sashayed past leading a eunuch from the Harem to her room. Oren was on door guard and he could hear her moans and screams from within the thick wooden door. The virgin princess wasn’t as innocent as people thought, and this was the true meaning of unofficial rule number 1, no one was to know that the princess engaged in such activities.

Oren had gone to bed that night his mind still on what he’d seen and heard. All the women he had been with, women for hire in the town had acted like they enjoyed their time with him but they were paid to act like they enjoyed it. This was his first exposure to a woman being so wanton, when no money was involved. Did this mean that women weren’t as different from men as their society taught?

The next morning Oren had trouble looking at the princess without remembering what he’d scene, and yet also had trouble not staring at her. How did the other guards ignore her appearance? Hell he was pretty sure they didn’t even look at her as a person just as an object to protect. He hoped this would get easier for him over time as well, for as it was the king was going to have him beheaded for staring at his daughter, or incompetence for some other reason.

He cleared his throat when she spoke to him. He wasn’t told the royal family ever deemed to speak to the guards apart from giving them orders, weren’t they supposed to be invisible, figuratively speaking that is. He was so far out of his element. He was a good guard, skilled, well built, and able to move silently and swiftly. He was good with weapons training, had even killed in defense of the royal family, but there was no training course on how to respond to the princess’s talking to him. Would he be beheaded if he spoke to her? Would he be beheaded if he didn’t answer her? “Oren M’lady.” He finally managed to reply, “I uh… was recently transferred to m’lady’s personal guard.” He managed. His dark eyes roaming around, unsure where they should look, did he meet her gaze? Did he look straight ahead? Did he look down respectful? If he looked down would she think he was eyeing her full breasts? He knew how to interact with women although his experience was not vast, but not in this situation, she wasn’t just any woman.

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The greatest harm can come from the best of intentions

Adah giggled softly. She could tell that what the new guard was telling about being new in her personal guard was true from the nervous way he acted. Adah leaned to the left slightly, trying to meet Oren's dark and soulful eyes.

"You can look at me, you know?" She ran her finger through his jaw line, encouraging him to look at her big hazel eyes. "I like it when handsome men look at me." She smiled what she hoped to be her most dazzling smile and then turned her back to go meet her ladies in waiting for their morning walk.

While Adah, Miriam and two more ladies in waiting walked around a garden, the slave Atia, a roman woman captured by her father's warriors, came bearing news. King Leon was in a battle field three day's journey north of the Palace. When the battle was over, he would travel south and come meet Adah at last.

Adah rejoiced, she was finally going to meet the man she was to marry. Adah sent for the dress maker as she needed a new, beautiful dress to meet King Leon.

She thought he was hansom… was this a good or bad thing Oren wondered. He obediently gazed into those eyes. Fortunately her attention seemed somewhat mercurial and she was soon off to see her ladies. Oren took a step closer being sure to remain close but out of the way. He heard that King Leon would be on the way to meet the princess. Oren didn’t know much about Leon other than the typical rumor mill that went around. He watched the princess order servants around, and took a deep breath trying to get a grip on himself, he hoped this would get easier with time; at least her attention was no longer on him now.

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The greatest harm can come from the best of intentions

"Princess, now that we have settled in the cut for your new dress, would you be so kind to choose the color?" A short, old, bald man who had been the royal dress maker to her mother and was now Adah's asked.

Adah imagined the dress in several colors. It was a respectable dress, not as skin baring as her usual attire. It was important to look pure, gentle and demure for King Leon. The dress was so simple and understated that it required a strong color - Adah was not a shrinking violet and she didn't want to be mistaken for one. Speaking of violets...

"I think a reddish purple silk will be best. I know you have some, I saw it around here somewhere." Adah said, sure that the color would make her light skin and hair appear even lighter and more desirable.

"But, M'Lady, that is the color of the Roman Caesar!"

"So...?"

"That would be most inappropriate, Princess!" The old man said, scandalized out of his mind.

"Are you trying to tell me what to do, Dressmaker?" The Princess didn't raise her voice, she didn't need to do so for her authority to show.

"But, Princess, your father would have me killed if I... if I..."

"Get out." Adah said. As the dressmaker opened his mouth to speak again she raised her voice and repeated: "Get out! And take these filthy, ugly cloths with you!" She yelled, nervous. She stripped the dress she was trying on, which left her naked. Her full, rounded breasts with nipples erect from the cold of being naked, her rounded hips, the narrow and trimmed tuft of hair between her legs displaying yet another proof of her womanhood, all exposed. She threw the dress at the face of the little bald man.

"Guards! Guards! Escort this man out!" She said. Lowering her voice, she turned to the little man. "You are very lucky I will not report you to my father. Go, fetch the cloth I ordered and don't dare to answer back to me anymore. I want it and so I shall have it and that is true of whatever there is in this world."

The guards at her door entered and left with a man and his assistant, who carried all the samples they had brought. Adah sat on her bed, biting her lower lip so hard she could almost taste blood. She was furious! Not knowing if King Leon would like her, not knowing if he'd take three days, a week or a month to get to the Palace and, on top of all that, having mere servants disrespect her was too much to bear. Still naked, she took a decorative vase from her bed side and threw it hard against the door, breaking and reducing it to almost powder.

Oren stood at the door again and he could hear the princess’s clear agitation. He was glad he was not the guard assigned to be in the room while she was trying on dresses, Oren was sure that that would be most awkward.
Abruptly the princess shouted for the guards and Oren was through the door in a split second, his crack training kicking in as he came through the door, knife in hand sure the princess was no less than being raped. Much to his embarrassment there was no need for his knife. The princess was indeed naked but she was a good 10 feet from the nearest person and that was the dressmaker who was dry washing his hands nervously. Oren couldn’t help raising an eyebrow. His knife had disappeared almost as fast as it had appeared. He escorted the man and his assistant out and idly wondered what that was all about. Oren wanted nothing more than to ask his fellow guards if things like that happened a lot. He had seen the princess naked… unofficial rule number 1…

Things seemed to settle down for a few moments and then there was a crashing shatter against the door. Oren’s fellow guard had he still been there would have told Oren to ignore it that it was the princess having a tantrum, however he had left to escort the dress maker to do the princess’s bidding. Therefore, Oren pulled open the door to pear in at the princess. “Is everything alright M’lady?” he asked after his eyes scanned the room, seeing to his dismay that the princess was still naked, a hint of pink coming into his cheeks.

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The greatest harm can come from the best of intentions

“I am sorry M’lady has not had a good day today.” He said softly. He was about to leave when she spoke again asking about his blush. “Uh no ma’am that’s not it at all. I am just new to this post and I am finding it… different than I expected. Of course my lady is beautiful, there is no denying that.” He said his eyes making their best effort to stay on her eyes and not somewhere farther south. He made a supreme effort to not react to being addressed as guard, but. hadn't she recently asked him his name?

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The greatest harm can come from the best of intentions

"Thank you, Oren" She answered softly. He seemed like a nice man and didn't deserve a display of her temper. She dismissed the handsome guard, got dressed and went to sleep. She didn't get up to have dinner. She didn't get up to find pleasure. She only got up the following morning.

The dress situation was eventually resolved with the aid of Adah's aunt, who was one of the women in her father's Harem. She convinced Adah that choosing another color was best and that keeping the same dressmaker was safest.

The following night Adah left for dinner with her father, the King, and some guests. The spiced wine made Adah warm and ligh headed. She was so involved in the conversation with the guests that she lost track of how much she actually drank. She felt her knees tremble while she made her way to her bedroom, but she also felt other needs. She needed to be touched, to feel pleasure, to have her body teased and to let go and lose her soul for a moment. She made her way to the bedroom, she was far too inebriated to walk alone to the harem. She would send a servant to fetch her one.

When she reached the door, she saw Oren, the guard. He was at waiting for her at her door, why he was alone she did not know. Adah had a hard time opening the door.

"Oren, please help me. You're so handsome, make yourself useful."

As Oren opened the door for her and she made her way in, she stumbled and fall into the guard's arm. She looked up into his dark eyes when he caught her.

Oren had gone about his duties for the rest of that evening. He morning found him out in the yard doing morning exercises with the other guards. He had drawn night dutie for the princess this day so had most of the day off.
Oren stood alone at the door to the princess’s chambers. The other guard dropped the princess off and muttered something about going to get the princess some water. Oren was surprised, wasn’t that what servants were for? He was unaware that he was the butt of a test. All the guards new to the princess were left alone with the princess at a time like this… to see if they would make a move on the princess, or more likely as it seemed she would make a move on them and they’d give in.
Oren stiffly moved to open the door for her, her words about make yourself useful and talking so casually about his looks did sting the young man’s pride. For a flash there he wondered exactly why he had signed up for this job in the first place.

When the princess stumbled he caught her, his hands settling around her waist keeping her from falling. “Are you alright my lady?” he asked steadying her and trying to take a step back away from her hands still on her encase she was still unsteady.

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The greatest harm can come from the best of intentions

"I... I'm... fine. Sorry about that." Adah said, not even trying to smooth her dress. Though the guard was trying to both hold her and step away, their faces were still very close to each other. Adah could feel Oren's warm breath, his strong hands holding her. Desire for the guard bloomed, but he was forbidden territory. Letting a guard please her was never a good a idea. She did let some guards serve her in her bed before, but they had always ended up thinking they owned her and they thought they could tell her what to do. They wouldn't respect her after they had touched and kissed her, after she had taken her pleasure from them. She had hated feeling like an object, like one of the women man hired in the city.

"Uhm... Oren... could you fetch me an eunuch? Actually, guard, go. I order you to find me an eunuch from the harem."

Adah took her clothes off and went to bed to await the eunuch. Her eyelids were heavy, her body seemed to have lost all strength. Maybe should could just rest for a moment before the handsome, strong guard brought back someone to kiss her body in full.

The guard nodded slowly to the princess’s request, but then she made it an order. For a moment he thought about disobeying her, but knew that could not end well. Bowing his head he moved to do her bidding.

He moved down the long winding hallways to the Harem. When he got there he saw the king was there being pleasured by a number of women. “Can I help you guard…?” he paused obviously seeking the guard’s name.
“Oren my lord.”
“What are you doing here Oren?” he asked his tone suspicious.
“Forgive me my lord, I am newly assigned to the inner palace I was merely lost.” He knew better than to say the princess had sent him to find her someone to please her.
The king looked suspicious; “Really…” he said drawing out the word. He turned to one of the women, an older woman who seemed in charge, “He is lying to me is he not? He has come to lay with one of you.”
“Uh no of course not my lord. I know no one is allowed the use of your personal ladies without your express permission. Please believe me. If I need a woman I know where to go in the city.” He stammered blushing. How did he manage to get himself into this mess? The king could have him executed and it was all that spoiled drunken princess’s fault.
“Well be gone from here, do you not see I am occupied?” The king almost yelled at him. Snapping to attention Oren gave a bow and left.
His steps carried him back to the princess’s chambers where he knocked before he entered seeing the princess in bed. Oh good, he thought maybe she’s asleep and I will not have to share my failure. “My lady, I was unable to bring you a eunuch as you asked; your father was in the harem and I couldn’t very well tell him you sent me.” He said hoping he had said the right thing, he really didn’t know what he should have said in this instance.

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The greatest harm can come from the best of intentions

Adah slept all through the night. She woke up the next morning with a headache and not remembering what had happened in full. She remembered talking to Oren and falling into his arms, but nothing else. She remembered how it felt to have his strong hands around her waist, his broad chest close to her, his manly smell, his warmth.

Oren was a good man, or so he seemed. He was thoughtful and didn't look down on her. He didn't seem to treat her as an object he was just keeping safe. He was also good looking, Adah actually though he reminded her on a Persian Prince she met once when she was a child. She was a little girl, but she remembered he looked like on of the pagan gods drawn in pagan temples.

She got up, ate some fruit that had been left for her and dismissed the servants. She put on a emerald green dress, the skirt made several layers of sheer fabric that, once on top of one another, looked no longer sheer. The dress covered only one of her shoulders. She added emerald bracelets from her wrist almost to her elbow and brushed her hair.

She opened her door room and saw Oren standing in his usual spot.

"Please come in, Oren" the Princess said. She was using a low voice, too much noise made her head hurt. "I'm a little embarrassed, but... what happened last night? I remember you... erm... you helped me open the door. I seemed to be having trouble with that. But what happened next?"

The princess made no answer to his words, and after a few moments the guard turned and exited the room again.
The next morning when the princess woke and came out of her room Oren still stood there. He was nearing the end of his shift and there were some lines of fatigue on his face although he still seemed alert.
He obediently moved with the princess into her room gently pushing the door shut, glad for the moment that his back was to her as she began to question because it gave him a moment to school his features to not show his embarrassment. “Well uh… nothing much my lady, I kept you from falling, and then you sent me to the harem to fetch you a eunuch.” He said. “However I was unable to obtain a eunuch for your services m’lady although I assure you I tried. You see, your father was in the harem, he seemed highly suspicious of why I was there. Trying to think fast I made up some story that I was lost. I did not think it was prudent to tell your father the reason for my visit.” He said his words obviously indicating he was protecting the princess’s honor. “I do not know if I did right my lady, but I did what I thought was best.” He did not say what else he was thinking; he did not say that she had put him at risk so she could get off. He would gladly lay down his life for her protection but not in such a frivolous pursuit. “Was there a better way I should have handled it my lady?” he asked his eyes moving to meet hers, remembering her words from the other day, that it was ok to look at her, to meet her eyes.

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The greatest harm can come from the best of intentions

Oren's gaze upon her made her shiver slightly, a shiver that she hoped to be anger for being told off by a guard. However, she thought, it was important that he was being honest with her in telling exactly what happened. He could have said he fetched the eunuch and that they came to her chamber and she was asleep so they didn't think wise to wake her. She wouldn't know it was a lie, she would never find out. Also, he had been most kind as to try and protect her reputation and honor, though her father was probably aware of her sexual desires.

"I thank you, Oren. And I am most grateful that you are being honest and true with your words. I am also in your debt for being discreet, I appreciate that. I know you risked angering my father and that it could have ended in disaster." She paused to breath and to look down. She hadn't been very nice to the handsome guard as of late - asking him to get her someone to serve her in bed must have been very humiliating. "I guess you will have the day off? You seem tired, I wish you a good rest. You may go now." She said, finally looking at the guard's dark and thoughtful eyes.

Adah felt better and the effects of last night's excessive drinking were almost all out of her system. The headache had almost completely subsided. She arranged with her servants, ladies in waiting and guards to go to the market. The dress situation was still on her mind and she wanted to see if she found nicer fabric than the one her aunt had helped her pick. Also, she needed a new vase and choosing decorations always made her happier.

The market was full of people, life and noise. The smells, the colors, the music, all of that reminded her why she was tired of living in the Palace. Wouldn't it be so much nicer to actually have a life, a reason to go out? Her father, King Ezra, was loved and respected for keeping the war at bay and for being fair. Logically, by association, his only legitimate daughter was loved as well.

After seeing that the fabric tradesmen didn't really have what Adah wanted and after buying a new, bigger, heavier vase, it was still early to go back to the palace. Adah and her ladies decided to look around the market, maybe find some handsome men to stare at and comment on. While walking around, they ended up in the part of the market where Leatherwork was made and sold. It had a distinctive smell and the stands were all owned by strong, tough looking men - probably men who used to be soldiers and were now too old to fight.

A pair of black leather arm cuffs caught her attention. They were of a glossy black leather, embossed with a beautiful intricate geometric pattern. The seams were all reinforced and they looked very sturdy. They were one of the most beautiful and yet manly things Adah had ever seen and they stood out among all the other cuffs and leather goods sold at the shop. Adah inquired about the price, only to hear they cost just as much as enough silk for a woman's dress. At that price, they would better be good and long lasting.

Adah had always seen mercenaries, Generals and Kings who fought wear the pair of arm cuffs. Occasionally, chief guards wore only one on the arm that didn't carry the sword. She had once asked a visiting General why he wore the pair of cuffs and not just one if it was to protect the arm against enemy swords. He had kindly explained to her that they served that purpose, but also they kept their wrists from being hurt should they need to use their fists against an enemy. It was a very practical use indeed. While all of these thoughts went through her head, Adah kept stroking the beautiful black leather, which happened to match her guard's uniforms.

"I will take them, I will pay right now from my own money." She said. She gave the cuffs to Atia, the slave, and ordered: "The new guard, Oren, will start his shift at sun set. Make sure he gets these before he starts his work. Go back to the palace now, I won't be long."

And so she wasn't. When she entered her room to change for dinner, Oren still wasn't in his usual spot by her door. Her father's guests were still here and tonight's banquet was going to be even more important and plentiful than last night's. It was a really special occasion, with ministers, priests and every nobleman and rich mercenary in the kingdom. She was determined not to drink tonight, however. She asked the servants to only pour either pomegranate or fresh grape juice in her goblet, no wine whatsoever.

Adah wore her favorite light pink dress, a richly embellished dress, with precious stones sewn into it. It was very heavy, the low cut top portion of the dress displaying her breasts proudly, covering just enough. Her round, soft, silky, full breasts were surrounded by pink sapphires, pearls and other precious and semi precious stones. She had a servant braid her hair and she wore a gold circlet on her head to further announce to the world that she was the only Princess of a rich kingdom and not just some other wealthy noblewoman.

Adah wore perfume brought especially for her from the faraway lands of China and she even went as far as rimming her eyes with black makeup brought from Egypt. She looked every inch the dignified, beautiful virgin Princess she hoped others thought she were. She stood and made her way to the door.

Oren simply nodded to the princess’s dismissal. He was tired indeed. He was relieved the princess was not angry with him for being honest; it easily could have gone badly for him.

Retreating to his room he stripped out of his uniform and lay down to rest. When he woke hours later he headed into the city, he had decided to get something to eat at the marketplace rather than within the palace. He found that he missed the more simple food he had grown up on, so occasionally did this to experience a taste of home. It was not like the guards were fed anything resembling the richness of the royal court; however the food the guards ate was still different from that he knew.

In the market he bought the fiery meat and spicy peppers that he was used to. The royals lived in a more temperate area, but they were not that far from desert lands and many of the kingdom’s peoples favored a style of food as harsh as the land they lived in.

Oren stood leaning against a wall as he ate. He watched what he thought was the royal party moving across the market. There was a part of him that felt like he should have been there protecting the princess in public, but there was another part of him that knew this was his time off and he should enjoy it as much as possible.

Oren slowly became aware of someone standing beside him. “Someone at the brothel was askin after you.” the voice of one of Oren’s fellow guards broke his inner contemplation.

Oren raised an eyebrow, “Is that so? What for?” he questioned.

“Says someone bought you the services of one of their ladies. Rumor has it that you got chastised by the king for trying to go to his own harem.” Here the speaker swatted Oren on the back of the head. “Are you a fool boy? Do ye not know yer place?”

Oren rubbed the back of his head and glared at the other. Oren knew the reason he’d gone there, and honestly so should the fellow, but there was no way Oren would mention it in a public forum such as his. So he merely turned away from the other guard. Looking up at the sky he realized he would have to hurry if he was going to make it to the brothel before he was supposed to be on duty. Maybe the services of a lady were exactly what he needed to relieve the stress of this new job.

Oren never did get a straight answer from the Madam who had ordered the lady’s services for him. Either way, he found himself in a room with the lady of his choosing.

Her hands skimmed over his body, knowing all the right places to touch to excite a man as quickly and easily as possible. She smiled as she felt him swell to full hardness in her skilled hands. Tone hand moved from the base of his cock to slide lower cupping the balls, heavy in her palm. Her other hand slid up to the head, caressing around the head. Slipping a finger back from his balls she smirked as he shivered at the feeling of that single fingertip caressing the sensitive flesh she found there.

Oren stood there as the woman pleasured her, his eyes on her hands as she stroked and touched him. It had been too long since he’d been with a woman, he was extremely close to embarrassing himself before he even entered this woman.

Just as he was about to tell her this, he felt her dip her head down. He felt her long hair brush over his thighs and then the warmth of her mouth enveloped him. This was one of his greatest weaknesses and coming at the end of a long moment of arousal he erupted without warning into her mouth…

As he walked back to the palace he reflected on his experience. Should he feel pleased that he found relief so quickly so he was not late for his duty, or should he feel irritated that he didn’t get to experience all that he could have from the woman?

He was again interrupted from his thoughts by a soft feminine voice. “”Excuse me good sir, but my lady the princess Adah sent me.” Oren looked up from where he was lacing his boots to see a pretty young girl. Searching his memory Oren seemed to remember her in the Princess’s entourage.

“Yes, is there something I can do for you?” Oren asked. He was a bit surprised when the woman held out the bracers.

“The princess asks that you wear these. She asked me to give these to you, she mentioned some sort of gift.” The woman stepped closer and lowered her voice, “She said something about some sort of trouble with her father?”

Oren raised an eyebrow as he took the bracers. They were of very fine craftsmanship, and had to cost a pretty penny. “Uh, yes…” he said somewhat surprisedly, “Thank you I will certainly wear them.” He said placing them on each forearm. “If you will excuse me I am a couple moments late for the changing of the guard.”

Oren arrived at the princess’s door, sliding into his place to the left of the door just as I opened and the princess stepped out. He hoped she had not noticed his lateness. He had only gotten one stern glare from the man he had replaced before the other had walked away. If she had noticed he could get in trouble. “Good evening my lady.” He said nodding to her, “Is it appropriate to tell my lady she looks beautiful this evening?” he asked formally, his mind flashing to that moment the day before when she wanted to know that he found her attractive.

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The greatest harm can come from the best of intentions

Would Oren be at the other side of the door? Would he be wearing her gift? Only very wealthy men wore bracers of that quality and so adorned. She opened her door only to see Oren standing in his spot, the other guard leaving already. Oren looked like a nobleman despite wearing the guard's uniform. He seemed taller today, more rested and even stronger than usual. He certainly had an air of satisfaction about him. In short, he was more handsome and enticing than usual.

Adah blushed at the compliment. She didn't remember blushing with compliments, being the King's daughter, everybody felt the need to compliment her independently of whether the compliments were true or not. Oren's words did sound true, however and Adah did go to great lengths to look even more like a Princess that night.

"Thank you, Oren." She told him, turning her big hazel eyes to his dark ones. "I'm very glad you liked the present I sent you." Adah said, smiling a bright and honest smile. Seeing that her gift had been appreciated made her happier than new jewelry and new dresses.

Adah made her way to the banquet hall. The music was loud and there were people dancing already. Adah ate and drank her juice, getting asked to dance several times by several different men. It wasn't until a young general asked her to dance that she accepted - dancing didn't involve touching or anything of the sort, but having a nice looking dance partner made it even more fun. It was a very successful night from what she could tell. It looked everyone was pleased, businesses and politics were going well.

Adah decided to go back to her room before too many people left. Leaving at the high point of a party was always the best option and the safest. She pondered going to the Harem to find an eunuch to finish off the night in the best possible way. She decided against it, she was a little too tired for that. Speaking of tired, her bed was calling her name and so she made her way to her bedroom, lighthearted and happy, humming one of the songs that hand been sang at the party. Oren was standing at her door, looking dashing as ever.

Oren nodded, “Thank you for the gift my lady.” He said. He was not sure why she had bought him such a thing, but thought it was better to not ask.

Oren watched the princess go towards the banquet. He stayed at her door, another guard falling into step behind the princess. Oren partially wished he had been assigned to be the one who followed the princess; he thought such a duty would make him feel a little more important than just a door guard.

The king sat with his advisors and wife, the princess’s step mother. He watched everyone enjoying the banquet. He was pleased to see his daughter was in rare form, very polite to everyone and level headed; she hadn’t hlet the wine go to her head. As he ate someone came and leaning in close whispered something to the king. The king responded and from that moment onward the guards watched princess Adah more closely, and when she walked back towards her room there were a pair of guards flanking her rather than the one that typically shadowed her.

One of the guards, an officer stepped ahead of the princess and addressed Oren before she arrived. Oren was just nodding as the officer finished speaking as the princess arrived.

Oren couldn’t help raising his eyebrow at the princess’s question, “My evening was uneventful my lady, I assure you no one has been in your room since you left it.” He said. He was not even sure if his answer was honest or somewhat flippant. What did she expect his evening had been like?

“My lady, your father has asked that a guard be in your presence at all times until further notice. I promise not to be too intrusive.” And as she opened her door he stepped close behind her making it clear that he would be accompanying her into the room, an occurrence that was fairly are.

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The greatest harm can come from the best of intentions

Adah smiled, Oren would be in her room for the night. How odd, to have a guard in her room, uninvited, but spending the night none the less. She could think of many very good reasons to have a handsome man such as Oren in her bedroom, but her father's orders certainly were not one of those reasons.

King Ezra, her father, had told her he was worried for her safety with no many strangers in the palace, especially so many young men. He wasn't scared that she would be hurt or disturbed, he was scared that someone would either try to rape her or that she would willingly give away her virginity to someone other than her future husband. The Princess' virginity was important to the kingdom as it would later mean her marriage couldn't be annulled.

Adah started removing her jewelry and handing it over to her servant. She pondered asking her to hold a sheet or towel between her and where Oren was standing, but she decided against it. Oren had seen her naked on more than one occasion. He had seen her full breasts sway gently as she moved, he had seen the perfect triangle between her thighs, her curvy hips and rounded bottom move as she walked.

Adah carefully took her dress of and handed it to the servant. It was a very heavy dress and very expensive, so all the care in the world was needed. She felt free when the dress came off her. Relieved that so much weight was off her, she declined when the servant handed her her nightgown. Though it was a simple, sheer, lightweight gown much like the one she had worn on Oren's first night in as her guard, she didn't want the fabric to touch her silky skin.

She climbed onto bed, looking discreetly to Oren to access his reaction. To Adah, both exciting and surprising the guards was a game and had been so since she was old enough to know what men and women did when they were together behind closed doors. She dismissed the servant and told her to blow out the candles on the side of the bedroom where her bed was. Only the candles closer to Oren were still burning and only him and Adah were in the bedroom now.

"You may sit, if you wish." She said to Oren from the dark. There were chairs and pillows all over the bedroom and even an ottoman close to the door.

Oren stood with his back to the wall beside the door. To say that this was awkward was an understatement. He tried to keep his eyes off the princess as she disrobed, but he was still male. His eyes settled on her beasts, full and round, her nipples stiffened from the cool air or excitement.

Oren finally managed to pull his eyes away from her. He let his eyes scan the room constantly roving, looking for any threat. He was mostly just trying to keep from staring at her. He found that the relief he had found at the brothel was fading fast as his body reacted to the sight of her.

When the lamp was blown out and the servants left he found some relief he no longer had to look at her. This would make it more difficult to protect her, but it beat having to stare at her and hide how much he found her appealing. “Thank you my lady, but I will stand for now.” He said after a moment’s hesitation, “I am still on duty.” He said as if reminding both her and himself.

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The greatest harm can come from the best of intentions

It was the hottest day I had ever experienced in life. I was lost , alone in the desert. Everyone had abandoned me, I was thirsty and tried and hungry and, worst, lonely. I kept walking, maybe I could find a tribe in their tents and ask for help, or maybe I would see the rooftops of some village. A caravan with camels and people could pass me by or someone would come to my rescue.

I walked, and I walked, then I walked some more. My eyes were burning with the wind and sand, as well as the sun reflected on the white sands of the big desert. Maybe I could walk and close my eyes for a little. I didn't exactly feel my legs, but I figured I should rest my eyes first and my legs second, I really couldn't afford to stop now!

I walked maybe a mile, maybe more. Who can tell? Then, suddenly, I felt no ground beneath my feet. I must have walked straight into a cliff, for I was falling, and falling, and falling to certain death, but never reaching the ground.

"Aaaaaahhhhh!!!" Adah heard herself scream and she opened her eyes. The nightmares where she had been abandoned and was falling into an abiss had been common after her mother died when she was younger, but she hadn't had one in a long time. Panting and sitting on her bed, almost crying, Adah tried to control her nerves and her breath.

The evening had been fairly quiet and uneventful after the lights went out. Oren wasn’t sure what he had expected to happen, but the princess it seemed went right to sleep.

After a time Oren had taken a seat on the edge of one of the chairs he pulled near the door. He was used to standing most of the night for he was a guard, that was his job, but he figured no one would really care this time.

The princess had been asleep for maybe 2 or 3 hours when Oren became aware that the princess’s sleep was no longer peaceful. He could hear her thrashing, and moaning in her sleep. Her breathing became labored and suddenly she screamed and sat straight up in the bed.

Oren took three long strides forward to the bed side, putting him just out of arms reach of the princess where she sat in the center of the big bed.

He was trained to handle external threats, criminals, rapists, spies etc. He did not know what to do for internal threats like this; it was almost certainly a night terror. Oren had seen his sister have one when they were children a few times. After a long moment Oren spoke, “My lady? Are, are you alright?” he said his voice hesitating, was it alright to ask? Was this something else he was supposed to ignore? His hand had instinctively extended towards her almost as if he were going to try to touch her, as if he would pat her shoulder or take her hand if she had been closer.

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The greatest harm can come from the best of intentions

Oren was close by and that was a relief for Adah. She hadn't been abandoned after all, she wasn't alone and she didn't feel as lonely. It had been just a bad dream, but a very bad one at that.

"No." she said, still shaken, her voice barely audible. With the light that was coming from a lamp near Oren's chair, she could make out little more than shadows. She noticed Oren's hand held out, it seemed that he wanted to touch her but wasn't sure he could.

Adah would be forever grateful if he did touch her, deep down she was still afraid she was in the desert, with no one by her side. Deciding to take things literally in her own hands, Adah took Oren's hand with hers. His touch was comforting; as soon as skin touched skin, she felt better, safe and in peace, especially deep down in her soul.

Oren's hand was big, warm and manly, not as soft as her father's, the eunuchs or the dress maker. She didn't touch men's hands often enough to compare, however. His presence filled the air around them while she held on to his hand. She wanted and needed more of the safety Oren transmitted her so she quickly knelt on the bed. In a heartbeat, she was sweetly pressing her lips to his, seeking to feel more and more of his presence, wanting his warmth.

Adah had been wanting to kiss Oren ever since she saw him for the first time. The handsome guard had certainly made her want him. She suspected his kiss was even better because she was craving it, her need for him showing. Her naked body, shivering despite the warm air around them, rubbed against the rough fabric of Oren's uniform. Her body was used to silk, the finest linen and cotton produced in the known world and such a different fabric was certainly a strange sensation on her skin.

Oren felt her take his hand in hers. Her hands were small and delicate, very smooth. He could feel her slender fingers sliding over his palm as she seemed to explore his hand. His hands were large, fairly graceful for a man, but calloused from work in the fields as a teen on his father’s farm, and more recently from sword and bow and ax and other weapons of war he had trained with.

He thought this was somewhat taboo enough, but it seemed to please and comfort her when suddenly she moved. She pulled herself up using the leverage of his hand and pressed herself to him her lips meeting his.

Oren knew in that instant that something was going on that shouldn’t. However he was so stunned that he didn’t pull away. He didn’t totally kiss her back but he didn’t pull away either. His hands came up to her shoulders but to pull her closer or push her away it was obvious even he didn’t know.

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The greatest harm can come from the best of intentions

Adah almost let out a tear of despair and sadness when Oren didn't kiss her back. Did he hate her kiss? Did he hate... her?

Lying back down, she rolled to the other side of the bed and lit the lamp that was standing there. The dim light showed Oren her beautiful face, her pleading eyes, her glorious nakedness. She knelt back on the bed, assuming the exact same position she had before.

Adah faced her guard, the handsome tall man she had been desiring for so long now. She raised her hand slowly, meaning to touch his face and pull him towards her but she didn't touch him yet. If only he could understand how much she wanted and needed him, she was sure he wouldn't refuse her his kisses and maybe even his caresses. After all, he was a man and she was a woman, willing to take him in her arms and give him the affection a virgin Princess could give.

Guards were seldom married, but maybe he had fallen in love with some servant. That would pose a problem, Adah thought. If he loved another, if he truly loved another woman, not even her body, her face, her richness or her nobility could make him kiss her back willingly as she wanted him to. For a moment, she feared Oren's heart had been stolen and therefore he couldn't give her his attention.